Planning Mission Utils

Purpose

Guide planning missions that involve research, architecture decisions, or system design before implementation.

Critical Step

ALWAYS check .ab-method/structure/index.yaml FIRST to find architecture documentation paths.

Architecture Loading

1. Read Structure Index

Check .ab-method/structure/index.yaml for:
- docs.architecture location
- All architecture files for comprehensive view
- project-constraints.md path
- external-services.md path

2. Load Comprehensive Architecture

Based on index.yaml paths, read ALL:

• tech-stack.md - Current technology choices
• frontend-patterns.md - Frontend architecture
• backend-patterns.md - Backend architecture
• project-constraints.md - Limitations and requirements
• external-services.md - Third-party integrations
• entry-points.md - System boundaries

3. Identify Planning Needs

Determine planning type:

• Technical Research - New technology evaluation
• Architecture Design - System structure planning
• Integration Planning - Third-party service integration
• Migration Planning - Refactoring or upgrades
• Performance Planning - Optimization strategies

Agent Coordination

For Technical Research:

Deploy research-focused agent:

Task: "Research [technology/approach] for [mission]"
Context provided:
- Current tech stack
- Project constraints
- Existing patterns

Agent should:
1. Evaluate options
2. Compare with existing stack
3. Check compatibility
4. Document findings
5. Recommend approach

For Architecture Design:

Deploy architecture-focused agent:

Task: "Design architecture for [feature/system]"
Context provided:
- All architecture docs
- System constraints
- Existing patterns

Agent should:
1. Analyze requirements
2. Design system structure
3. Define component boundaries
4. Plan data flow
5. Document decisions

For Integration Planning:

Deploy integration specialist:

Task: "Plan integration with [service]"
Context provided:
- External services doc
- Current integrations
- API patterns

Agent should:
1. Research service capabilities
2. Plan integration points
3. Define data mapping
4. Security considerations
5. Document approach

Mission Document Structure

For planning missions:

# Mission N: Planning - [Description]

## Status
Current: Planning

## Research/Analysis
- Key findings
- Options evaluated
- Pros and cons

## Recommendations
- Proposed approach
- Architecture decisions
- Technology choices

## Implementation Plan
- High-level steps
- Estimated complexity
- Dependencies

## Risks & Mitigations
- Identified risks
- Mitigation strategies

## Next Steps
- Follow-up missions needed
- Implementation approach

Key Guidelines

For All Planning Missions:

• Consider existing architecture
• Respect project constraints
• Evaluate impact on current system
• Plan for maintainability
• Document decision rationale

Documentation Focus:

• WHY decisions were made
• Trade-offs considered
• Alternative approaches
• Future implications

Output Examples

Technical Research Output:

## Research: State Management Solutions

### Options Evaluated:
1. Redux - Heavy but battle-tested
2. Zustand - Lightweight, good DX
3. Context API - Built-in, simple

### Recommendation: Zustand
- Fits current lightweight approach
- Easy integration with existing code
- Minimal boilerplate

Architecture Design Output:

## Architecture: Real-time Chat Feature

### Components:
- WebSocket service layer
- Message queue (Redis)
- Chat UI components
- Database schema changes

### Data Flow:
Client → WebSocket → Queue → Database

Remember

• Planning missions inform future implementation
• Load ALL architecture docs for context
• Document decisions thoroughly
• Consider long-term implications
• Check .ab-method/structure/index.yaml for paths